EP0573149A2 - Transducteur magnétorésistif amélioré - Google Patents

Transducteur magnétorésistif amélioré Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0573149A2
EP0573149A2 EP93303525A EP93303525A EP0573149A2 EP 0573149 A2 EP0573149 A2 EP 0573149A2 EP 93303525 A EP93303525 A EP 93303525A EP 93303525 A EP93303525 A EP 93303525A EP 0573149 A2 EP0573149 A2 EP 0573149A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
transverse
magnetoresistive
transducer
magnetization
easy axis
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP93303525A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0573149A3 (en
EP0573149B1 (fr
Inventor
James A. Brug
Thomas C. Anthony
Victor W. Hesterman
Steven Naberhuis
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
HP Inc
Original Assignee
Hewlett Packard Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hewlett Packard Co filed Critical Hewlett Packard Co
Publication of EP0573149A2 publication Critical patent/EP0573149A2/fr
Publication of EP0573149A3 publication Critical patent/EP0573149A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0573149B1 publication Critical patent/EP0573149B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B5/00—Recording by magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier; Reproducing by magnetic means; Record carriers therefor
    • G11B5/127—Structure or manufacture of heads, e.g. inductive
    • G11B5/33—Structure or manufacture of flux-sensitive heads, i.e. for reproduction only; Combination of such heads with means for recording or erasing only
    • G11B5/39—Structure or manufacture of flux-sensitive heads, i.e. for reproduction only; Combination of such heads with means for recording or erasing only using magneto-resistive devices or effects
    • G11B5/3903—Structure or manufacture of flux-sensitive heads, i.e. for reproduction only; Combination of such heads with means for recording or erasing only using magneto-resistive devices or effects using magnetic thin film layers or their effects, the films being part of integrated structures
    • G11B5/3906—Details related to the use of magnetic thin film layers or to their effects
    • G11B5/3929—Disposition of magnetic thin films not used for directly coupling magnetic flux from the track to the MR film or for shielding
    • G11B5/3932—Magnetic biasing films
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B5/00—Recording by magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier; Reproducing by magnetic means; Record carriers therefor
    • G11B5/127—Structure or manufacture of heads, e.g. inductive
    • G11B5/33—Structure or manufacture of flux-sensitive heads, i.e. for reproduction only; Combination of such heads with means for recording or erasing only
    • G11B5/39—Structure or manufacture of flux-sensitive heads, i.e. for reproduction only; Combination of such heads with means for recording or erasing only using magneto-resistive devices or effects
    • G11B5/3903—Structure or manufacture of flux-sensitive heads, i.e. for reproduction only; Combination of such heads with means for recording or erasing only using magneto-resistive devices or effects using magnetic thin film layers or their effects, the films being part of integrated structures
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B5/00—Recording by magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier; Reproducing by magnetic means; Record carriers therefor
    • G11B5/127—Structure or manufacture of heads, e.g. inductive
    • G11B5/33—Structure or manufacture of flux-sensitive heads, i.e. for reproduction only; Combination of such heads with means for recording or erasing only
    • G11B5/39—Structure or manufacture of flux-sensitive heads, i.e. for reproduction only; Combination of such heads with means for recording or erasing only using magneto-resistive devices or effects
    • G11B5/3903—Structure or manufacture of flux-sensitive heads, i.e. for reproduction only; Combination of such heads with means for recording or erasing only using magneto-resistive devices or effects using magnetic thin film layers or their effects, the films being part of integrated structures
    • G11B5/3906—Details related to the use of magnetic thin film layers or to their effects
    • G11B5/3945—Heads comprising more than one sensitive element
    • G11B5/3948—Heads comprising more than one sensitive element the sensitive elements being active read-out elements
    • G11B5/3951—Heads comprising more than one sensitive element the sensitive elements being active read-out elements the active elements being arranged on several parallel planes
    • G11B5/3954—Heads comprising more than one sensitive element the sensitive elements being active read-out elements the active elements being arranged on several parallel planes the active elements transducing on a single track

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to magnetoresistive transducers. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved magnetoresistive read transducer having a transverse easy axis for biasing and domain stabilization..
  • MR Magnetoresistive
  • the present state of the art teaches the use of magnetoresistive elements having an easy axis in-plane and along the length of the MR elements.
  • magnetic poles exist at the ends of the stripes and thus result in instabilities, unwanted domain states, and unpredictable response curves.
  • This arrangement is currently in use for the three basic geometries which employ MR technology: single layer structures, soft adjacent layer (SAL) structures where an additional magnetic film is provided to help in biasing the transducer, and dual stripe structures in which both films are magnetoresistive.
  • Magnetoresistive memory elements have been discussed by Pohm and Comstock, IEEE Trans. Mag. 26, 2529 (1990), which use transverse anisotropy in coupled magnetic films for storing digital information, but not for sensing magnetic fields.
  • magnetoresistive transducers there is yet to be taught any technique for applying this approach to magnetoresistive transducers, nor is there any recognition that such teachings would be useful in the transducer arts.
  • a magnetoresistive transducer includes at least one magnetoresistive element having a transverse easy axis. In this way, magnetic domains are prevented from forming in the MR elements. Thus, noise-free operation is provided.
  • one technique for assuring the MR elements have a transverse easy axis is to take advantage of the magnetostrictive properties of MR elements and form such elements with stress such that the anisotropy of the resulting element produces a transverse easy axis.
  • Other techniques that may be used to orient the easy axis transverse to the MR element may include MR element deposition in the presence of a magnetic field, MR element anneal at a high temperature, or any other method for establishing a prebiased state in the MR element.
  • the present invention is best understood by referring to the Drawings in connection with review of this Description.
  • the present invention provides a magnetoresistive (MR) read head in which the easy axis of the magnetic films that form the read element are defined in such as way as to provide biasing and stabilization of the domain structure.
  • MR magnetoresistive
  • the preferred embodiment of the invention is described herein with regard to three geometries of MR read heads: a single layer structure (as shown in Figs 1a and 1b), a soft adjacent layer (SAL) structure in which an additional magnetic film is provided to improve biasing (as shown in Fig. 1c), and a dual-stripe structure in which both films are magnetoresistive elements (as shown in Fig. 1d).
  • the present invention provides a structure for all three transducer geometries having the easy axis of the magnetization in-plane but transverse to the length of the elements.
  • a single-stripe read structure is shown having current leads transverse to the MR element.
  • a magnetoresistive element 10 is shown having an active area 12 in the presence of a media field (indicated by the arrow 13).
  • Current leads 'I' are indicated by the arrows which point in the direction of current flow.
  • a single-stripe read structure is shown having current leads along the MR element.
  • a magnetoresistive element 15 is shown having an active area 16 in the presence of a media field (indicated by the arrow 17).
  • Current leads 'I' are indicated by the arrows which point in the direction of current flow.
  • a soft adjacent layer structure is shown having current leads transverse to the MR element.
  • a magnetoresistive element 20 is shown having an active area 22 in the presence of a media field (indicated by the arrow 23).
  • a soft magnetic film 21 is shown and is included to help in biasing the MR element.
  • Current leads 'I' are indicated by the arrows which point in the direction of current flow.
  • a dual-stripe read structure is shown having current leads transverse to the MR element.
  • magnetoresistive elements 25,26 are shown having an active area 27 in the presence of a media field (indicated by the arrow 28).
  • Current leads 'I' are indicated by the arrows which point in the direction of current flow.
  • a magnetoresistive element 30 is shown having a transverse easy axis orientation 31. Magnetization direction 32 is as indicated by the arrows on the MR element 30.
  • FIG. 2b the distribution of magnetization for a bilayer film with no field applied is shown.
  • Fig. 2b. dual magnetoresistive stripes 35,36 are shown having a transverse easy axis orientation 37,38.
  • Magnetization direction 39,40 is as indicated by the arrows on the respective MR elements 35,36.
  • the magnetization at the center of the MR element is oriented transversely because of the easy axis orientation in the magnetic film.
  • the magnetization is oriented along the element because of the demagnetizing fields associated with the edge of the film. Adequate signal response is maintained by using structures with small heights of several micrometers or less such that only the center of the MR element is oriented transverse to the element.
  • bilayer transducer structures require less material anisotropy to overcome the demagnetizing fields associated with the edge because of the strong magnetostatic coupling between the two films.
  • the sense current that flows in the device provides a field that is also oriented in the transverse direction.
  • the field is in opposite directions in each of the MR elements.
  • the current only flows in one element, but the strong coupling between the films results in a rotation of the magnetization that is also in opposite directions in each of the elements.
  • the current can be used to initialize the device into the magnetic state shown in Fig. 2b because the field from the current and the easy axis are in the same direction.
  • the easy axis of the MR elements can be defined by using a variety of standard methods. For example, deposition of the MR element in a field or annealing the film at high temperature in a field are two possible methods. An additional method, is to use magnetic films with magnetostriction such that when fabricated, the stresses produced in the transducer structure from the formation of the air bearing surface result in a transverse easy axis.
  • the specific features of the read head, such as the presence of magnetic shields, the magnetoresistive element shape, and the lead configuration are a matter of choice.
  • the mechanism by which the MR element is initialized into the stable state is a result of the sense current.
  • the field from the sense current is along the easy axis of the film and is in opposite direction in either MR element. These directions favor the antiparallel state shown in Fig. 2b and, as a result, the device can be initialized into this state by the current. This does not occur in a conventional head because the desired single domain state is transverse to the sense current and therefore the current does not couple to it.
  • MR read transducers were fabricated with transverse anisotropy. An external field was used to excite the transducer. The output of these transducers for four field cycles is plotted on Fig. 3. The reproducibility of the response is an indication of the lack of magnetic domain walls in the active area of the device.
  • a larger field is used to excite the device, then the response is as shown in Fig. 4.
  • the large jumps that occur at high fields indicate that when a large enough field is applied, the device can be made to switch to another state.
  • the device initializes itself again into a stable state.
  • This ability to re-initialize into a stable, noise free state is important when a read transducer is designed that includes an attached write transducer because of the large fields that can be present near the write transducer.
  • the strongly linear region that is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 for low fields is also a result of the transverse anisotropy.
  • the linearity can be shown from a micromagnetic model to arise from the cancellation of the longitudinal shape anisotropy by the transverse anisotropy. This linearity is especially important for SAL devices because, with current biasing, the device response is nonlinear.
  • An additional advantage of the invention is that the bias of the device is set primarily through the action of the anisotropy and the shape of the device, and only set secondarily by the current. This feature is shown in Fig. 5, where the behavior as a function of the bias current is plotted. The lack of variation in total resistance swing as the bias current is varied is a result of the transverse anisotropy producing a prebiased state in the MR elements. This makes it easier to set the current level to achieve maximum signal without strongly affecting the bias point of the device. In addition, the output remains constant as the current is cycled from low current to high current. This aspect of the invention is important to assure that the head returns to the same state when turned on, especially if this is done after each write cycle.
  • the ability to bias the MR element by transverse anisotropy is important for the single layer devices shown in Figs. 1a and 1b. These devices do not need an extra layer of magnetic material or an extra conductor to provide a bias field. This reduces the number of films that need to be deposited to fabricate the device and allows narrower gaps in the active region to be achieved.
  • Magnetoresistive elements having thicker films can be used with the present invention.
  • biasing thick films is a problem because of the larger shape demagnetizing fields produced by the larger magnetization.
  • the transverse easy axis of the present invention helps to overcome the shape effects allowing the device to be biased.
  • Thicker films have, in Principle, less noise because the texture of the surface plays less of a role in determining their magnetic behavior.
  • the stabilization of the MR elements is achieved without additional processing. For example, establishing a preferred direction along the easy axis for elements having the easy axis along the length of the elements has often been done using exchange-coupled layers. This requires additional processing and involves maintaining precise control of the materials.
  • the present invention establishes the easy axis direction by controlling only the material properties of the MR element itself.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Hall/Mr Elements (AREA)
  • Magnetic Heads (AREA)
  • Measuring Magnetic Variables (AREA)
  • Transmission And Conversion Of Sensor Element Output (AREA)
EP93303525A 1992-06-05 1993-05-06 Transducteur magnétorésistif amélioré Expired - Lifetime EP0573149B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US894415 1992-06-05
US07/894,415 US5307226A (en) 1992-06-05 1992-06-05 Improved magnetoresistive transducer with substantially perpendicular easy axis

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0573149A2 true EP0573149A2 (fr) 1993-12-08
EP0573149A3 EP0573149A3 (en) 1994-05-18
EP0573149B1 EP0573149B1 (fr) 1998-03-25

Family

ID=25403048

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP93303525A Expired - Lifetime EP0573149B1 (fr) 1992-06-05 1993-05-06 Transducteur magnétorésistif amélioré

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US5307226A (fr)
EP (1) EP0573149B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH0661547A (fr)
DE (1) DE69317598T2 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7463459B2 (en) * 2004-02-18 2008-12-09 Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V. Self-pinned read sensor design with enhanced lead stabilizing mechanism

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5717327A (en) * 1995-09-22 1998-02-10 Bradford; Melvin J. Current sensor
US6249064B1 (en) 1998-06-05 2001-06-19 Seagate Technology Llc Magneto-striction microactuator
US6987692B2 (en) * 2003-10-03 2006-01-17 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Magnetic memory having angled third conductor
CN111433621B (zh) 2018-01-25 2022-03-04 株式会社村田制作所 磁传感器及电流传感器

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3716781A (en) * 1971-10-26 1973-02-13 Ibm Magnetoresistive sensing device for detection of magnetic fields having a shape anisotropy field and uniaxial anisotropy field which are perpendicular
JPS5317713A (en) * 1976-08-02 1978-02-18 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Thin film magnetic head
EP0061363A1 (fr) * 1981-03-20 1982-09-29 COMPAGNIE INTERNATIONALE POUR L'INFORMATIQUE CII - HONEYWELL BULL (dite CII-HB) Transducteur magnétorésistant de lecture d'informations à très haute densité
JPS6029917A (ja) * 1983-07-28 1985-02-15 Nec Corp 磁気抵抗効果ヘッドの製造方法
EP0154005A2 (fr) * 1984-02-28 1985-09-11 International Business Machines Corporation Structure de tête de lecture/écriture pour enregistrement à deux pistes
JPS6442015A (en) * 1987-08-10 1989-02-14 Hitachi Ltd Magneto-resistance effect type thin film head
US4833560A (en) * 1987-06-26 1989-05-23 Eastman Kodak Company Self-biased magnetoresistive reproduce head

Family Cites Families (7)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3921218A (en) * 1973-12-26 1975-11-18 Honeywell Inf Systems Thin film magnetoresistive transducers with rotated magnetic easy axis
US4001890A (en) * 1974-08-05 1977-01-04 Honeywell Information Systems, Inc. Double chip flying head
US4103315A (en) * 1977-06-24 1978-07-25 International Business Machines Corporation Antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic exchange bias films
US4356523A (en) * 1980-06-09 1982-10-26 Ampex Corporation Narrow track magnetoresistive transducer assembly
EP0326192A3 (fr) * 1984-02-28 1989-09-06 International Business Machines Corporation Films minces magnétorésistifs couplés pour détection de flux magnétique
US4987509A (en) * 1989-10-05 1991-01-22 Hewlett-Packard Company Magnetoresistive head structures for longitudinal and perpendicular transition detection
JPH0664719B2 (ja) * 1989-11-29 1994-08-22 インターナシヨナル・ビジネス・マシーンズ・コーポレーシヨン 磁気抵抗性の読み出しトランスジユーサ・アセンブリ

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3716781A (en) * 1971-10-26 1973-02-13 Ibm Magnetoresistive sensing device for detection of magnetic fields having a shape anisotropy field and uniaxial anisotropy field which are perpendicular
JPS5317713A (en) * 1976-08-02 1978-02-18 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Thin film magnetic head
EP0061363A1 (fr) * 1981-03-20 1982-09-29 COMPAGNIE INTERNATIONALE POUR L'INFORMATIQUE CII - HONEYWELL BULL (dite CII-HB) Transducteur magnétorésistant de lecture d'informations à très haute densité
JPS6029917A (ja) * 1983-07-28 1985-02-15 Nec Corp 磁気抵抗効果ヘッドの製造方法
EP0154005A2 (fr) * 1984-02-28 1985-09-11 International Business Machines Corporation Structure de tête de lecture/écriture pour enregistrement à deux pistes
US4833560A (en) * 1987-06-26 1989-05-23 Eastman Kodak Company Self-biased magnetoresistive reproduce head
JPS6442015A (en) * 1987-08-10 1989-02-14 Hitachi Ltd Magneto-resistance effect type thin film head

Non-Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 13, no. 239 (P-879)(3587) 6 June 1989 & JP-A-01 042 015 (HITACHI LTD) 14 February 1989 *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 2, no. 55 (E-028)21 April 1978 & JP-A-53 017 713 (MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC IND CO LTD) 2 August 1976 *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 9, no. 156 (P-368)(1879) 29 June 1985 & JP-A-60 029 917 (NIPPON DENKI K.K.) 15 February 1985 *

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7463459B2 (en) * 2004-02-18 2008-12-09 Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V. Self-pinned read sensor design with enhanced lead stabilizing mechanism

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US5307226A (en) 1994-04-26
EP0573149A3 (en) 1994-05-18
DE69317598T2 (de) 1998-07-09
DE69317598D1 (de) 1998-04-30
JPH0661547A (ja) 1994-03-04
EP0573149B1 (fr) 1998-03-25

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